NewsMine — war-on-terror — israel — negotiations — 2003-geneva — Viewing Item

Israel to powell skip meeting Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=200312022004000160846&dt=20031202200400&w=APO&coview= http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=200312022004000160846&dt=20031202200400&w=APO&coview= Israeli to Powell: Skip Mideast Meeting JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's vice premier warned it would be a mistake for Secretary of State Colin Powell to meet organizers of an informal Mideast peace treaty. But Powell said Tuesday that just such a meeting is planned this week. Top Israeli officials have rejected Monday's ``Geneva accord'' designed by former Israeli and Palestinian leaders as failing to advance the overall peace process. The Palestinian response has been mixed. But Powell said his meeting Friday with the unofficial plan's architects would not contradict the U.S. commitment to the ``road map'' peace plan outlining the establishment of a Palestinian state. ``I don't know why I or anyone else in the U.S. government should deny ourselves the opportunity to hear from others and who have ideas with respect to peace,'' Powell said at a news conference during a visit to Tunisia. But he added that the meeting ``in no way undercuts our strong support'' for Israel and the road map. The informal agreement was the result of three years of talks between former Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, working in private capacities without representing their governments. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon described the agreement as subversive, and other Israeli opponents said it would simply serve as the starting point for the next round of negotiations, undermining government policy. The agreement proposes borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state close to Israel's borders before the 1967 Mideast war, giving the Palestinians almost all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and part of Jerusalem. It calls for the removal of most Israeli settlements there and severely limits the so-called ``right of return'' for Palestinians who fled or were driven out during the 1948-49 war that followed Israel's creation and their descendants. It also divides sovereignty in Jerusalem. Organizers flew from Geneva to Washington, where they hoped to meet Powell. However, as of late Tuesday, a meeting had not yet been finally arranged. Israeli Vice Premier Ehud Olmert said Powell would be ``making a mistake'' to meet the organizers, led by former Israeli Cabinet minister Yossi Beilin and Palestinian minister Yasser Abed Rabbo. ``I think he is not being useful to the process,'' Olmert told Israel Radio. ``I am certain of his friendship (to Israel), but I would cast doubt on his judgment in this matter.'' The Israelis are concerned that a Powell meeting would lend legitimacy to the accord. The U.S. government has been generally supportive of the Geneva initiative, while insisting that the ``road map'' plan is the only one on the table. The ``road map'' leads through three stages to a Palestinian state, but it is a formula for negotiations, while the Geneva Accord spells out solutions to the touchiest issues. Reversing his initial lukewarm initial response, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat sent a message to the Geneva gathering warmly praising the virtual treaty, calling it ``a brave initiative that opens the door to peace.'' However, militant Palestinian groups denounced the accord and called the Palestinian negotiators ``traitors,'' objecting to concessions over the return of refugees to their original homes in Israel. In reaction from the Arab world, the newspaper ``Oman'' praised the accord. In an editorial, the paper described it as the first true Palestinian or Arab document that gives a comprehensive vision for a solution to all the issues and paves the way for a Palestinian state. AP Washington reporter George Gedda contributed to this report. © Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. 12/02/2003 20:04 APO

Eu welcomed unofficial peace accord { December 3 2003 } Geneva accord allows partial right of return Israel critical of possible meeting { December 2 2003 } Israel says powell making mistake meeting symbolic plan Israel slams powell over invitation to geneva Israel to powell skip meeting Symbolic peace accord authors meet wolfowitz World heavyweights lend their support Files Listed: 8

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